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Gastronomy

m says :
19-02-08,07:38:36

That Lucre guy doesnt know what he is talking about, let me ask you if people in the U.S eat more pizza than they do in Italy does that mean that pizza is not Italian anymore? Pisco its the peruvian national drink no matter what!!

J.C. Wong says :
20-02-08,07:12:37

I'm not sure why you posted such an article, it's rather irritating to any peruvian. I recommend you research the subject a bit more, even wikipedia (english or spanish) can give you  a better perspective.

the land expropiation of the 70s and economic collapse of the 80s and early 90's contributed to the decline of pisco and wine production and obviously consumption.

why so many italian inmigrants decided to produce after they settled in peru?, probably because thats what they did back home and were good at it. i think they chose wisely and peruvians are grateful for their efforts (they brought their grapes too).

wine first and then pisco have been produced in vast quantities along the peruvian coast (even in arequipa) for over 400 years (close to 500)
so after a break for the reasons i mentioned above, it's just beginning to make  a slow comeback and it's just a matter of time before it becomes another important export industry.

Pisco is pisco, period, what chile produces is called aguaardiente in spanish (moonshine in american english), a rather bad one in any case (you can find out why by yourself) and the fact that their production is large doesnt mean anything
as far as origin or name is concerned.

to those spanish speakers: lean el articulo original,
http://www.taringa.net/posts/noticias/36979/La-verdad-sobre-la-pelea-Chile-Vs-Peru-(Pisco).html

by the way hans, ignorance is not a virtue.

Myself says :
20-02-08,02:39:47

What??
Of course, it's so easy for you to give away something that is not yours... so stop trying to give away our Pisco, American brother, go talk about your hot dogs and mcdonald's instead of trying to convince a nation of whatever YOU think it's true (why do you give this guy a space at livinginperu by the way?)

PiBe says :
20-02-08,02:54:37

"The" Truth?? WHO'S Truth??
Chilean of course.

Arturo V says :
20-02-08,03:35:52

This article sounds like a joke, and by the way, a pretty bad one!

Pisco is peruvian no matter that 10% of its population consume it!.... Indeed, it would still be peruvian if only 0.0000000000001% of its population consume it!

I've traveled to Chile a few times and tried several brands of chilean liquour and it's absolutely different.

Peruvian pisco has been distilled in Peru for centuries, it's made with ancient technics and uses 7 grapes either sinlgle or blended (quebranta, italia, albilla, negra mollar, uvina, torontel and criolla) while the chilean liquor (Again, as you note dear Hans, it can't be called Pisco) is made basically with muscat grapes and with other technics.

There are many reasons that explain why pisco is not consumed in Peru like it should be. I agree with Mr. Wong, the land expropiation by former dictator Velazco and the economic collapse of 80's and 90's explain why the peruvian wine and pisco industry decreased in that way.

Besides, true pisco is not cheap. The amount of grape fruit that you need to produce a bottle of pisco explains its cost, so obviously is not the favorit drink of average peruvians. 

Low class peruvians (90% approx.) are used to drink cañazo (alcoholic beverage made of the distillation of fermented sugar cane molasses), chicha de jora (alcoholic bevarage made of fermented corn). Those drinks are pretty popular!

I must admit that some informal pisco producers hadn't been honest and produced bad quality piscos but thanks god that there's a new wave of honest and formal pisco makers that are producing superb piscos, products that I'm pretty sure that soon will be exported to north america and europe in huge amounts. It won't be strange if in a short term future pisco will be recognized all over the world and compared with famous spirits such as scotch, gin, vodka among others.

Finally it's not a matter of numbers, if 10%, 30%, 68% or 71.98% of peruvians drink pisco, it is and always will be peruvian.

PD, Hans, if you ever go to Chile, try a Capel.... It will be day and night and you won't call the chilean liquor pisco ever again!


Regards,

Arturo V. G.

Ricardo says :
20-02-08,03:37:03

Surrealistic?!?!?!? stupid?!?!!??! This guy doesnt know anything about pisco. Is not like comparing chilean wine with argentinian wine. Wine is wine because of the technique and process. Anyone who knows a little about pisco could tell you the HUGE difference between chilean pisco an peruvian pisco. The technique and process is totaly different, not to tell you about the flavour! Chile pisco=aguardiente and peruvian pisco=pisco. Is not only because of the city name. Well, im not going to waste my time with this nonsense.
Goodbye

jsjess says :
20-02-08,04:27:37

I don't have much time to write anything substantial in this post and I thank those who wrote before me for clarifying some issues and for writing what I woudl've wanted to write.  All I have to say is that this post has truly ruined my dinner.  I don't come to "Living in Peru" to read such idiocies.  Frankly, I would've expected a bit more research.  By the way, Chileans ADMIT freely that Pisco is Peruvian.   What they're claiming is their right to CALL what THEY produce, "Pisco" and this is what we object to. 
Champagne isn't Champagne unless it's from the champagne region in France.  (It's espumante or whatever it's called in English).  
Anyway, I really have to go.  I don't whether to wish that Hans posted this out of ignorance or rather as bait to create a frenzy on the board and drive up the page views.  In either case, it's just pure bad taste. 

Luis says :
20-02-08,11:24:56

The problem here is not one of the product, but that of the name. 

Any research undertaken on geography and history will conclude that Pisco originated in the 1700's in Pisco Peru, the Chileans started much later.  Does Chile produce more? have more dedicated land? export more? market better? - for a Peruvian, unfortunately the answer is Yes.  But does that give away the name, of course not. 

As a distributor of Peruvian Pisco outside Peru, my clients are always alert when dealing with pisco, not as to the varying brands, but the difference between a produce of Peru and of Chile.  We have different products sharing the same name.  I believe we all agree on this point - they are different.  As Peru's name originated from its birth place in Pisco, Ica, Peru, let’s give Chile its proper name - Elqui, from the principal producer area in Chile.
The challenge is now for the Chileans to start again, and here lays the problem.  Can Chile's entrepreneurial and financial might start from scratch and stop relying on door opening Peru's pisco provides?

At least early Peruvians had the vision and did not called Pisco, what many Europeans alike with - Grappa.Pisco is Peru

juan josé vizcarra says :
21-02-08,05:45:40

There is always someone that has nothing to do, probably wants to have the last laugh, surely someone that has no idea who his mother is.

Luis Montero says :
21-02-08,07:44:21

A very bad and disgussting comment indeed to any Peruvian, the author seems that he's not tried a nice pisco sour with either nationality pisco.

Don't have any thing against Chileans, but their pisco is of very inferior quality, doesn`t reach 20º, so you can drink it straight or with Coca Cola and it's made from the grape leftovers boil and and destilled with water givingg a soft product even children can drink. On the other hand Peruvian pisco is destilled in allembics and only made from fresh juice grapes.

Anyway if Chileans buys southern lands, still will be made in Peru, why do you think are investing in land to produce pisco our national beverage, to know the millenary know how and probably for export purposes to Chile...

Por eso Salud con Pisco Peruano!!!

Davicho says :
21-02-08,09:16:18

Has Don Imus setup shop in LIP or is this just the handy work of a copy cat? Regardless, it would appear that LIP may be trying 'outrage' as a way of increasing reader interest. For decades the press has leveraged the faxiom that 'sex sells', and in the last few years it seems to have discovered that 'outrage is the sex of the impotent'. I would advice the writer of this article (a)'Hans', to degustaste some true pisco and ED will disappear and with it the need to publish outrageous pestilent provocations in such a colegial forum as LIP.
As for the editor in charge of this week's LIP, I would suspect that he must be either sleep on the wheel or asleep on the beach. Good excuse, but if that is not the case, what can I expect next: a column by Ann Coulter? If so LIP would be righfully filtered into the junk email bin.
Enjoy, the vendimia is near.

jc wong says :
22-02-08,03:36:43

dear hans
im not sure if you did this on purpose but since the damage is done here is some "truth" topics next time you get bored:

the truth about the war of the pacific
the truth about the destruction of chorillos
the truth about the looting of lima
the truth about the lynch expedition
the truth about the chilenization of tarapaca
the truth about the tarapaca plebiscite (treaty of ancon 1883, treaty of 1929)
etc
etc
etc

it's not that we hold a grudge, but losing pisagua, iquique and arica cost us dearly and we think we've given up enough.

if you have any scottish friends ask them what they think about whiskey being called "english whiskey", i think you'll get the point or at least a broken nose.


if you look into these a bit youll find how pisco found its way south into chile, even their soldiers liked it better!

remember:
peru=pisco, chile=watered down aguardiente

here's a better article:
http://www.american.edu/projects/mandala/TED/PISCO.HTM




Pisco Liquer Dispute between Chile and Peru (PISCO)CASE NUMBER: 145
CASE MNEMONIC: PISCO
CASE NAME: Pisco Liquor and IPRs



A. IDENTIFICATION
1. The Issue
Pisco is as Peruvian as llamas and arroz con pollo. A Peruvian meal is not complete without a pisco sour. "The pisco sour is a cocktail made with a shot of pisco, a sprinkle of sugar, a bit of egg white and a splash of lime juice, then either blended or served over crushed ice, with a dash of bitters." However, pisco's future has been marred by agrarian reform, economic and political turmoil, new and more profitable crops, water pollution, and a trade dispute with Chile over its namesake.

2. Description
The conditions for pisco were laid centuries earlier by the adept engineering of the Incas in the Ica region on the southwestern Peruvian coast. Ica was a dry, infertile desert region before the Europeans arrived in the sixteenth century. The Inca's civil engineering laid the foundation for future agricultural exploitation in the Ica region. The Europeans acted on the clue left by the Inca emperor Pachacutec and channeled Andean meltwaters to where they planned to plant their vineyards. Henk Milne described the Incan legend of Pachacutec:
When the Inca emperor Pachacutec offered his hand in marriage to a fair maiden from the Peruvian hinterland and was turned down in favor of her plebeian boyfriend, he might have been forgiven for being miffed. But instead of achieving the consummation of his desire by, say, knocking off the rival and insisting on the nuptials - or some other such straightforward monarchical solution so common in those simpler times - he gave in gracefully. In fact, just to show how sporting of a chap he was, her offered to grant the lady her dearest wish. She, evidently not be a material girl, said that her dream was that the waters of the River Ica be brought to her hometown in the desert. Fifteen days later, forty thousand laborers wiped their collective brow, dropped their shovels and sat down beside the 30-mile canal they had just dug. The heart-smitten Supreme Panjandrum dubbed this waterway the "Achirana".
The Achirana provided the Europeans with a sufficient water source to plant vineyards with the Negra Corriente grape in 1547. The vineyards were so prosperous that within ten years, Peru had thriving wine exports to Argentina, Chile, and Spain. Over 100,000 acres of vineyards flourished in the Ica region. The cultivation of the grape in Latin America was a result of Peru's success and it is believed that the widely grown Criolla grape of Argentina and the Pais grape of Chile are descendants of the Negra Corriente grape originally brought over to the new world by the Spanish.

The Incas already had a favorite drink called chicha, made from fermented corn and water. Chicha was a ceremonial drink for the Incas and made only by women, the so-called "Chosen Women."
One of the chief occupations of the Chosen Women was the making of chicha for the Inca and his nobles and priests, and the making of it required the crushing of the sprouted corn after it had been boiled. Much crushing was required because much chicha was drunk. Drunkenness was required, in fact, at Inca feasts and ceremonies, since the liquor of corn was as sacred as the kernel they named "life giver". No ceremony began without the Inca lord or priest's pouring chicha on the ground to honor the corn goddess, Mama Sara.
The Europeans, however, craved their native brandies. "Through trial and error they found a grape called the Quebranta produced a pure, highly potent, aromatic brandy which eventually became known by the port from which it was exported to grateful drinkers abroad: Pisco."

By the nineteenth century, a scourge of phylloxera (plant lice) eradicated many Peruvian vineyards which were replaced with cotton and other fruit crops. "While the Argentine and Chilean topographical boundaries of mountain, desert, sea and ice proved to be natural palisades against the spread of the pest, not so in Peru. Political and economic upheavals took their toll in the twentieth century. Agrarian reforms in the 1970s abolished large estates and created cooperatives. "The various forms of cooperatives appeared to have had little impact on the creation of employment opportunities in agriculture. As a consequence, over half the rural population at the poorer end of the scale benefited little, and the disparity of income distribution may have increased." Today, water thirsty crops such as rice and sugar- cane are taking slowly taking the place of grapes in the Ica region. According to Salomon Diaz, president of the agro- industrial committee of the exporters' association, "Peru's coast has the great advantage that, because there's no rain, irrigation is man-managed. With high technology methods -- drip or sprinkler systems -- one could irrigate four times the area with the same amount of water we're now expending on crops we'd do better to import."

Even if farmers wanted to reinvest in their land, less than 10 percent actually hold the legal title to the land, a requirement for collateral. Moreover, financing additional irrigation equipment costs approximately 18 percent a year. Unlike Peruvian farmers, Chilean farmers are allowed to import irrigation equipment and discount the import tariff upon exporting the cash crop.

Water pollution is an enormous problem in all parts of Peru. A new national environmental agency is being created as a result of a $2 million donation by the Inter-American Development Agency. "It is expected that a significant improvement in legal mechanisms will be enforced by 1995." Peru's abysmal water conditions in the Ica region are a result of domestic and industrial waste, including mining pollution. The cholera epidemic spread quickly in 1991 due to the poor sanitary conditions.

While a trade war is not likely to break out, there is a growing trade dispute between Peru and Chile over who had the right to use the name pisco. "Peruvians hold a deep-seated national pride in pisco, which they make from the cream of the grape harvest and have been drinking at parties and rowdy peasant festivals for more than 400 years." Chilean pisco has already found small export markets in the United States and Europe. Peruvian exporters are hampered by hyper-inflation and an unfavorable exchange rate. "Peru is planning action under international patent agreements -- the same ones that guard copyrights over everything from computers to pharmaceuticals - to keep the pisco name exclusively for Peru."

3. Related Cases
Keyword Clusters
(1): Trade Product = LIQUOR
(2): Bio-geography = TROPical
(3): Environmental Problem = HABITat LOSS
4. Author: Pamela Oakes
B. LEGAL Clusters
5. Discourse and Status: DISagreement and Allegation [ALLEGE]
"Pisco is now at the center of a growing trade dispute between Peru and neighboring Chile over which country has the right to market the liquor under that name." While both countries claim a historical legacy to pisco, the underlying cause of the dispute is over exports and control over the market. Chile has already cultivated a small export market for its pisco, mainly to the U.S. and Europe. Peru, however, has been constrained by economic and political turmoil and unable to capture an export market for its pisco.

6. Forum and Scope: GATT and BILATeral
Peru is planning take this dispute before the international community. "The Peruvian government is planning to take action under international trade agreements, possibly resorting to the world trade body GATT, to stop Chile from marketing any drink under the name of pisco."

7. Decision Breadth: 107 (GATT members)
A WTO decision granting Peru the sole right to export a clear, brandy-like liquor under the name pisco would affect all members of the WTO. This case could set a precedent for additional countries to claim exclusive rights to a so-called cultural commodity.

8. Legal Standing: TREATY
Both Peru and Chile are members of the WTO and had agreed upon joining the GATT to abide by its rules.

III. GEOGRAPHY Cluster
9. Geographic Locations
Domain: South America [SAMER]
Site: ANDES
Impact: PERU
To be more precise, the Southwestern coast of South America, including Peru and Chile.

10. Sub-National Factors: NO
11. Type of Habitat: DRY
IV. TRADE Cluster
12. Type of Measure: Intellectual Property [IPROP]
A product standard is pending the outcome of the trade dispute and will most likely be determined by the WTO. According to Godofredo Gonzalez del Valle, whose family has been making pisco for four generations, it is all in the stomp. "To make real pisco, you have to take your shoes off, crush the grapes and let it ferment in clay bottles. In Chile they make something called pisco, but it doesn't taste as it should." Chilean pisco is sweeter and slightly weaker that Peruvian pisco. "Only Peru has the soil, the climate, and the tradition in making pisco that give(s) our drink a special taste, and which allow(s) us to call it pisco", according to Jaime Alvarez Calderon who is in charge of Peru's multilateral economic negotiations office."

13. Direct vs. Indirect Impacts: INDirect
14. Relation of Trade Measure to Resource Impact
a. Directly Related: YES LIQUOR
b. Indirectly Related: YES MINE
c. Not Related: NO
d. Process Related: YES BIODIVersity loss
The water pollution from nearby mines threatens the ability to produce the grapes to make pisco. "Water resources are severely overburdened with residues" from mines in the region, fishmeal plants, "as well as from the dumping by numerous 'informal', unregulated industries and households." Air pollution is also a severe problem. Harmful emissions from fishmeal processing plants have caused bronchial illnesses and have seriously damaged the atmosphere. Moreover, sulfur dioxide emissions from copper plants have adversely affected the air.

15. Trade Product Identification: FOOD
16. Economic Data
Demand for Peruvian grapes and grape products is strong. The United Kingdom imports grapes and Taiwan imports Tacma wine produced in the Ica region.

17. Impact of Trade Restriction: LOW
18. Industry Sector: FOOD
19. Exporters and Importers: PERU and USA
V. ENVIRONMENT Clusters
20. Environmental Problem Type: Pollution Land [POLL]
21. Name, Type, and Diversity of Species
Name: Many
Type: Many
Diversity: 18,245 higher plants per 10,000 km/sq (Peru)
22. Impact and Effect
Water pollution from the mines threatens grape harvests. The water intended for irrigating and cultivating the vineyards is loaded with mining residue and chemicals. Water purification is necessary for the survival of the vineyards. Air pollution must be dealt with immediately because of the threat to the health and safety of local residents and workers. The dry air of the Ica region is immobile because of the sea and the Andes mountain range.

23. Urgency and Lifetime: HIGH and over 30 years.
Eliminating river pollution as a result of mining is imperative. Because of the dry arid climate, chemicals are absorbed into the local atmosphere and remain in the area.

24. Substitutes: SYNTHetic
Other brandy-like liquors made from grapes or chicha could possibly substitute although there is no substitute for cultural heritage.

VI. OTHER Factors
25. Culture: YES
Pisco has been part of Peruvian culture for over 400 years. To allow the elimination of suitable grapes or permit a lesser version of it would abolish part of a culture and society. Pisco is part of a traditional Peruvian meal. Pisco production has been passed from generation to generation and is a ritual in many families. The government promotes pisco as being Peruvian, using the slogan "Pisco es peruana" (Pisco is Pervian) on its culture crusade in Peru and the rest of the world.

26. Human Rights: NO
27. Trans-Boundary Issues: NO
28. Relevant Literature
Atwood, Roger. "Sweet Liquor Sparks Bitter Trade Dispute." The Reuter Business Report. March 29, 1991.

Bowen, Sally. "Survey of Peru." Financial Times. September 29, 1993.

Comision para la Promicion del Peru. "Peru: Te espera." May, 1994.

Fussell, Betty. "Fare of the Country; Chicha, Peru's Favorite Drink." The New York Times. February 15, 1995.

McClure, Barney H. "The Vanishing Off-Season." Supermarket Business. January, 1995.

Milne, Henk. "A Walk on the Wild Side." LatinFinance. March 1993.

Milne, Henk. "Dancing with the demon; Peruvian liquor." LatinFinance. January 1995.

Muroi, Flora and Derek Fetzer. "Peru: Pollution Control Equipment." National Trade Data Bank. (Report Prepared for American Embassy, Lima, Peru). March 21, 1995.

Mylrea, Paul. "Blue Skies Flavour Chile's National Drink." The Reuter European Business Report. November 29, 1995.

Nyrop, Richard (ed.). Peru: A Country Study. Washington, DC: United States Government, 1981.

Pilling, David. "Survey of Peru." Financial Times. September 29, 1993.

Read, Jan. Chilean Wines. New York: Harper & Row, 1988.

Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental. Codigo del Medio Ambiente. Lima, Peru, 1992.

Sylva, Bob "A Plateful of Peru." Sacramento Bee. April 26, 1995.

"The Spring in the Step of the Llama." The Economist. November 13, 1993.

"UK: Peruvian Grapes Add Dimension to Imports." Grocer. January 8, 1994.

Walden Country Reports. "Chile." January 30, 1995.

"Wine From Peru May Appear in Taiwan." Central News Agency. August 15, 1985.


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jc wong says :
22-02-08,04:42:14

more technical truths:

Varieties

Early Production

The black grape taken to Peru by the Spanish suffered due to its adaptation to soil and weather conditions in the Province of Pisco, eventually stabilizing in a new variety named "Quebranta", purportedly named because the original grape was "broken" (Spanish quebrar), or tamed, for its new environment. Almost all early pisco was produced from this variety of grape, others used any grape available at the time. However, since only the largest (and those with dedicated pisco distilleries) vineyards were able to produce exportable volume, Quebranta was the only variety exported, since it was the preferred grape for pisco production.


Peruvian Pisco

In the years following the re-establishment of pisco production, many grapes were used to produce pisco, leading to a wide variation in flavor, aroma, viscosity and appearance of the licor. This harmed attempts to export the product under a single denomination since there could be enormous differences between the contents of bottles sold as pisco. As such, a number of regulations were established to counteract this situation and set a baseline for a product to carry the name.

Four levels of pisco were thus designated:

· Pure, made from a single variety of grape, mostly Quebranta, although Mollar or Common Black can be used, however, no blending between varietes is accepted, "Pure" Pisco should contain only one variety of grape.

· Aromatic, made from Muscat or Muscat-derived grape varietes, and also from Italia and Torontel grapes varieties; once again, the pisco should only contain one variety of grape in any production lot.

· Green Must, distilled from partially fermented must, this must be distilled before the fermentation process has transformed sugars into alcohol.

· Acholado (Half-breeded), blended from the must of several varieties of grape.


The order is not established on quality, it is simply listed in that way in Peruvian publications.

Some other specific restrictions of note are:

· Aging, Pisco must be aged for a minimum of three months in vessels of "glass, stainless steel or any other material which does not alter its physical, chemical or organic properties".

· Additives, no additives of any kind may be added to the Pisco that could alter its flavor, odor, appearance or graduation.

Pure pisco is a very viscous liquid, slightly more so than vodka and comparable to Sambuca. It has an odor which is vaguely reminiscent of reeds. Its flavor is very smooth and almost non-alcoholic, which can be very deceptive, with the result that many first-time drinkers often overdrink and can quickly become inebriated without noticing. Some people consider it heresy to mix pure pisco with anything else, and it is generally accepted that it should be drunk alone, even to the exclusion of ice.

Aromatic is rarely seen nowadays, as its production has almost ceased in Peru, since according to Peruvian specifications, Chilean pisco would be classified as Aromatic. See the Chilean pisco section for more information.

Green Must is accepted as a poor man's pisco, not generally seen in high-income environments. Its taste is very strong, as is its odor, and can be quite pungent if left to breathe for a large amount of time.

Acholado is gaining popularity due to its sweetness, both in odor and flavor, making it a favorite for Pisco sour, a mixed drink. The Acholado variety is also preferred due to its "kick", which can be felt immediately after drinking, one can literally feel the drink making its way to the stomach.


Chilean Pisco

During the adaptation of many vineyards to Pisco production, the most widespread grape was used as raw material, namely the Muscat, with some vineyards preferring the Torontel and Pedro Jiménez varieties. As is the case with Peru, regulations for Pisco designations have been enacted in Chile:

· Regular, 30° to 35° (60 to 70 proof).

· Special, 35° to 40° (70 to 80 proof).

· Reserve, 40° to 43° (80 to 86 proof).

· Great, 43° or more (86 or more proof).

No distinction between varietal mixes is made other than it is restricted to the three kinds of grapes named before. It should be noted that, different to the Peruvian Pisco, during the production water is added to the Chilean Pisco in order to soft the 'firewater' aftertaste.

Regular Pisco is quite bland in taste, reminiscent of a weak rum, and its odor is very sweet and woody with a slight yellowish tinge to the color.

Special and Reserve are very similar in flavor and color, both being very sweet and of a cloudy yellowish color. The flavor is much stronger than Regular Pisco and leaves an alcoholic aftertaste in the mouth, similar to bourbon.

Great Pisco has a commanding odor and a very pleasant dark yellow color, it is not as sweet as the other varieties, yet it carries strong woody flavor the others lack, probably due to longer aging.


Comparison
PERU
CHILE

Definition
Firewater obtained exclusively from the distillation of recently fermented "Pisco Grapes", using methods which maintain the traditional principles of quality established in recognized production areas.
...is reserved to firewater produced and bottled, in consumable quantities, in Regions III and IV, elaborated by the distillation of geniune wine, originating from specified varietals, grown in said regions.

Grapes
Non Aromatic: Quebranta, Common Black, Mollar

Aromatic: Italia, Muscat, Albilla, Torontel.
Yellow Muscat, White Early Muscat, Alexandria Muscat, Austrian Muscat, Frontignan Muscat, Hamburg Muscat, Black Muscat, Pink Muscat, Canelli Muscat, Orange Muscat, Pedro Jiménez , Torontel.

Production
The fermentation process can be done with partial or total maceration of the grape, strictly controlling the temperature and decomposition of sugars.
The grape juice is fermented into wine containing 14° alcohol (28 proof).

The fermented product is distilled in copper or stainless steel recipientes to the desired gradiation. No product may be added to alter the gradiation, odor, flavor or color of the liquid.
The fermented product is distilled in copper recipients until a gradiation of 55° to 60° is reached. Rectifiers must be added if alcohol gradiation is less than specified.

The Pisco must be aged a minimum of three months in glass, stainless steel or other materials which do not alter the physical, chemical or organic propierties before bottling.
The crude firewater is aged in wood recipients for a short time, usually not more than a few months. Higher quality brands may be aged in oak barrels for a longer time.

The Pisco must be bottled directly after aging, without alteration or adding any product which could alter the odor, flavor or appearance.
The firewater from different distilleries is mixed, diluted with demineralized water in order to lower the gradiation to the desired level, filtered and bottled.

Alcohol Content
38° to 48° (76 to 96 proof)
No less than 30° (60 proof)

Designated Pisco Areas
Departments of Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and the Locumba, Sama and Caplina valleys in the Department of Tacna.
Atacama, Coquimbo.


· NOTE: the Peruvian regulation specifically refers to "Pisco" throughout the document; the Chilean regulation mentions it as aguardiente (brandy or "firewater") when referring to Pisco in general and only mentions "Pisco" when referring to a specific variety (such as "Reserve Pisco").

 

Stuart says :
22-02-08,03:04:31

What a wonderful argument the author has put forward!

So... when can we declare that Machu Picchu belongs to the United States? More visitors are from the US than any other country, including Peru.

There are more Spanish speakers in Latin America than in Spain... so Spain... STOP CLAIMING OUR LANGUAGE!!!

Hahaha.. what nonsense.

jcw says :
23-02-08,04:13:48

TAKE IT EASY THERE STUART i think that  last pisco put you over the edge,  machu picchu is the official high school graduation trip for most people growing up in peru and thats a lot of people. i dont know how many americans go to cuzco but maybe you think all tourists come from the states.

anyway we dont speak spanish we speak castillian, the catalans and basques speak spanish. theres no argument about pisco either.
cheers

that bartender is gonna think twice before he posts something without reading it first

Stuart says :
24-02-08,06:13:44

@JCW - If you think "most people" in Peru have the chance to visit Machu Picchu you are sorely mistaken. What you perhaps meant to say is "most middle class kids".

The terms Spanish and Castillian are happily interchangeable in English. This is an English language website. Stop desperately picking at what I write trying to find fault in it, especially when I am trying to support Peruvian Pisco. Besides, Castellano is spoken in Castilla... what is spoken in Latin America is not even close. Visit Madrid and see what I mean. You might think you speak Castellano, but you don't. You and I speak a Latin American dialect that has its origens in Castellano but is now very distinct. Pointless nitpicking that serves no purpose? Of course. Silly isn't it?

Luis says :
24-02-08,09:40:04

Please email the editor of living in Peru and ask for this article to be removed and apologize for posting something without reading the content, we have to stop these people trying  to poison web pages made mostly for people who are interested in Peru and peruvians.

Charlie says :
25-02-08,07:32:17

Mr. Lucre:

I´ve been checking all responses (took me a while!) and what I could really get out of them, as well as from your article:

-You didn´t do enough research, and didn´t explore all aspects of "Piscology": economical, agricultural, industrial......even gastronomical.

-You do not know how to recognize real Pisco from a cheap imitation. Else, you definitely would have a different appreciation.

-You are basing your statements on a wrong assumption ("In Chile, I imagine that over 80% of the population must consume Pisco, while in Perú not even 10% of us consume it") Don´t IMAGINE.....do RESEARCH....check out STATISTICS. Have you at least consulted a public poll to support your statement? By the way, how many drinks do Peruvians prepare with Pisco, and how many do Chileans do? Find out....this will throw some light for your next article.

Please do your homework, and send out a second part to your article: be sure we´ll be loooking forward to it.

Arturo V.G. says :
25-02-08,08:54:36

Dear Hans, I see that you've created a monster!

Hope  that you learn the moral of the story and do not mess with a nation ever again!

I posted a comment with my point of view last friday, PISCO IS PERU CARAJO!!

Regarding the drinks that can be prepared, As far as I know, chileans drink their liquor basically in Piscola (chilean liquior & coke, which is pretty bad).

They also make an imitation of our pisco sour that sucks, and I say imitation because the lack of peruvian pisco and peruvian lemmons.

In Perú, you have a huge variety of cocktails prepared with pisco, here just a few:
Pisco Sour, Algarrobina, Chilcano, Sol y Sombra, Capitan, Peru Libre....

Regards,

Arturo V.G.

jcwong says :
29-02-08,12:33:28

I have traveled troughout Spain stuart, Ive also heard every type of spoken spanish while living in the us (ny). what we speak is obviously somewhat different from 16th century spanish but the term castellano is as valid today as it was long ago.

the term espanol is rather recent and was promoted to unify linguistically the different languages spoken troughout
the iberian peninsula and to create a sense of nationalism in the new republic of spain after the napoleonic invasion (early 19th century),
castilla y leon, andalucia and the canary islands speak a form of castellano that is
not that much different from what the peruvians from the north coast (trujillo) to ica (including lima) speak as a language. the variation in accents do not create another language. the spanish spoken in the andes is a very pretty form of old spanish heavily influenced by qechua and a little bit of aymara.

Anyone interested in our beautiful language should take a look at:

http://lapenalinguistica.blogspot.com/

the decline in peruvian visitors to machu picchu and the poor use of the language nowdays (in peru) has to do economics and nothing else.

when i was a child (1970s) in primary school going to cuzco was very common and the proper use of the spanish language was not an option
it was expected of anyone who had received primary and secondary schooling.

I'm not nitpicking, i'm being precise because i love the place where i was born and raised, and i take offense when anyone demeans it like this guy hans. god knows where hes from, i do know where he's not from.

i think arturo vg's last post reflects exactly how any peruvian adult reading this web site would react, and if this page was written in castellano im sure we would be a lot less polite.

VIVA EL PERU CARAJO, I dont give a shit if anyone takes offense, I'm nationalistic and so what.

jcw

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